After two days of good rest at the Marquis Mansion, Gu Lan met the grandmother of the original owner—the Old Madam of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.
After being hugged and turned around in the Old Madam's arms, Gu Lan felt like she had lost the will to live. She finally understood how the original owner's pampered and spoiled personality was formed.
— Indulgence.
"It's all my indulgence. What's this I hear about someone not being satisfied with Lan?
I merely went to the Taihe Temple, and my good grandson fell into the water? Wanqing, how could you allow Lan to enter the palace without sending someone to accompany him? If anything had happened to my precious grandson, how would I answer to Chengzhao?"
The reason the Old Madam didn't appear immediately after Gu Lan's incident was because she had gone to a temple outside the Capital City a few days prior to offer incense and pray for blessings, staying there for a while. Upon returning today and learning what happened, she was nearly scared out of her wits.
After reprimanding Madam Zhou, she held Gu Lan and pinched him gently.
"These are Buddha Beads blessed by the master at Taihe Temple. Put them on, my dear grandson. If you find them ugly, let Zipei hold them."
"This is Shu Brocade just delivered from Fuan Village. Wanqing, you should keep it and make new clothes for Lan."
"These are vegetarian rice I managed to get from the abbot, send them to the small kitchen for Lan's courtyard."
The Old Madam took out bag after bag of items.
The Chengzhao she mentioned is the current Dingyuan Marquis, Gu Chengzhao.
Marquis Gu has long been commanding troops outside, along with the victorious Prince Rui to the north and south, both serving as the cornerstones of Dayan.
He has only one wife, Zhou Wanqing, and one child, Gu Lan, making him a rare monogamous paragon in ancient times.
Because of this, Gu Lan doesn't feel any hint of the rivalry between legitimate and illegitimate children or intrigues within the Marquis Mansion, making her feel like she's started the game with a max-level character.
Usually, external affairs of the Marquis Mansion are managed by Gu Lan's second uncle, Gu Chengye, while domestic matters are handled together by Zhou Wanqing and the Old Madam.
However, Gu Lan has yet to meet her second uncle—either working overtime at the Imperial Palace or his own residence, sometimes in the study room. He's a true working person of Dayan.
"Let grandmother take a look at little Lan. How come in just a few days, it seems like you've gotten thinner?"
Gu Lan held the Buddha Beads and philosophically endured the kneading she shouldn't have to bear. Her neatly combed jet-black hair got ruffled.
She could respond coldly to Madam Zhou, but facing this Old Madam, Gu Lan found herself unable to resist effectively.
Madam Zhou was surprised by Gu Lan's gentleness, a warm look nestled in her eyes.
Lan, it seems, has really changed...
Gu Lan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and spoke for Madam Zhou: "It was my own carelessness that I fell into the water; it has nothing to do with Madam. Besides, grandmother, I am fine now, aren't I?"
The Old Madam, with her white hair in a festive red floral dress, appeared kind and gentle, resembling a loving old lady.
Faced with such a genuinely caring elder, Gu Lan had no pressure calling her "grandmother."
"As long as you're fine, as long as you're fine."
The Old Madam, evidently very doting of her legitimate grandson, took extra joy in Gu Lan's current obedience. She released Gu Lan after inspecting her arms while sighing with palpable relief:
"From now on, grandmother won't force you to go to the Imperial Family School. Our Marquis Mansion has its own private tutors, all highly qualified. It's not much less than the Emperor's school. But Lan, this time, you cannot skip classes and must attend diligently."
The original owner did not skip school but simply didn't attend!
"What's this 'not much less than the Emperor's school'? Mother, I honestly want to tell the Emperor what you're saying."
The speaker was a slightly plump woman in a green embroidered ruqun, her features plain, laughter lines lining her eyes, holding a handful of sunflower seeds in a teasing tone.
The Old Madam feigned authority: "Second Brother's wife, you are getting more and more unruly."
The woman was Gu Lan's second aunt, Mrs. Wang. At this moment, she divided the peeled sunflower seeds, giving half to Madam Zhou and the other half to the Old Madam, smiling heartily: "We at the Marquis Mansion don't fuss over those formalities."
Madam Zhou jokingly scolded, "Stop it, eat your seeds."
"Ah, my salted sunflower seeds are truly unparalleled."
Mrs. Wang, who came from a cook background, enjoyed fussing in her small kitchen and never minded household affairs, getting along well with Madam Zhou.
A few days ago, Mrs. Wang gave Gu Lan a box of handmade summer pastries.
Seeing Gu Lan look her way, Mrs. Wang mysteriously produced a handful of chilled, secret-recipe bayberries from somewhere, quietly slipping them into Gu Lan's hands.
"Big nephew, eat!"
Mrs. Wang mouthed to her secretly.
Gu Lan gladly accepted, eating it up in one go, her face saying "delicious."
The others didn't eat her snacks, only Gu Lan, who had changed his attitude over the past two days, eating whatever he was given, and eating it with relish, making Mrs. Wang very pleased.
Zhou Wanqing, knowing her daughter was no longer resistant to entering the Imperial Family School, said, "Mother, wasn't it you who said Lan should learn from Changting, strive to improve, and aim to become a seed for civil service in the court to avoid the hardships of war?"
The Old Madam blushed, straightened her back, and said vigorously: "So what if I did? Lan is naturally smart; he can learn anywhere, not just the Imperial Family School. Changting is diligent and improving, which is naturally good; all are good sons of the Gu family."
Madam Zhou: You really praise Lan, huh? Even this birth mother doesn't believe that.
Mrs. Wang put down her sunflower seeds and said politely, "You overpraise Changting. He is diligent only because he's foolish; he cannot compare to Brother Lan in aptitude."
Madam Zhou continued to silently utter: No one knows a daughter better than a mother... Sigh, Mrs. Wang's ability to tell blatant lies has also grown stronger.
The Changting they mentioned is Gu Lan's cousin and the son of her second uncle, Gu Changting.
Gu Changting is young but already holds the position of Junior Minister at the Honglu Temple, a famous young talent in the Capital City and a constant topic of praise from the Old Madam about her eldest grandson.
After all, generations of the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion were rough warriors on the battlefield, and having a young intellectual among them was like seeing smoke from an ancestral tomb.
Previously, it was due to the Old Madam often bringing up Gu Changting that inspired Madam Zhou's desire for Gu Lan to enter the Imperial Family School for proper education.
The evening glow enveloped the courtyard of the Marquis Mansion, casting a soft light over the few of them.
Watching the current chatter among the three women, Gu Lan couldn't help but curl her lips.
There weren't any feuding sisters or household conspiracies; the Marquis Mansion was imbued with a touch of earthly warmth.
Suddenly, she thought of the book's ending for the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.
Just when everyone thought Gu Lan would get irritated by the mention of model cousin Gu Changting as before, she earnestly cupped her fists and spoke seriously:
"Grandmother, after falling into the water, I've gained great insight. I was too playful in the past, but now I've grown up.
So, I've decided to reform from today forwards, return from lost paths, eradicate bad habits, and start anew! As soon as I recover my health, I will enter the Imperial Family School to serve as the companion of the young princely heir."
A gentle breeze brushed her face, lifting the black locks on the boy's forehead. The courtyard fell into a temporary silence.
It was a while before the Old Madam snapped out of it, many cloudy old eyes widened and walked forward to touch Gu Lan's forehead:
"Dear grandson, did you perhaps have water enter your brain after falling into the water?"
Gu Lan: "..."
With Madam Zhou assisting from the side, Gu Lan spent quite some effort to finally convince the Old Madam that her words were sincere and came from the heart.
The Old Madam waved her hand and said:
"My dear grandson acting as a companion to the young prince is his utmost good fortune."